bainbridge



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 1.

' P. H. BAINBRIDG'B.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2. F. H. BAINBRIDG-E.

DAM. No. 537,520. Patented Apr. 16,1895.

lP A'rnnrr FRANCIS H. BAIN BRIDGE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,520, dated April 16, 1 895.

Application nea september 11, 1894.. seria No. 522,724. (no model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, FRANCIS H. BAINBRIDGE, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dams, of which the followingy is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical and eflicient metallic dam, especially adapted for use in closing valleys or canyons for the purpose of impounding water; and the invention consists in thefeatures and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my ii'nproved dam 5 and Fig. 2 an enlarged annular section, taken in line 2 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

In constructing my improved dam, I take a number of girders or trusses, A, preferably formed of I-beains, and arrange them at the desired angle to the ground. In the drawings, it is about forty-live degrees, though this angle may be varied to suit special circumstances and conditions. I provide these girders with a facing, B, formed of convex steel or iron plates-the convex sides arranged toward the body of the Water-which are secured to the I-beams in any desirable manner, preferably by means of rivets. The arrangement of these plates in a convex manner provides for the expansion and contraction of the dam in the direction of its length, so that there will be less danger of distortion or destruction of the dam, owing to different changes of temperature or pressure. The facing B I prefer to make as above described of convex metallic sheets. I wish it understood, however, that these sheets are made of such a thickness as to be more or less elastic to permit of yielding so as to make up or compensate for the expansion and contraction of the dam in the direction of its length. By making these sections elastic the plates can be made of any desired shape so that the dam in contracting will tend to make them convex or irregular and in expanding will tend to make them flat. To support these girders in their proper position, I provide a strut or series of struts, B, preferably formed of two sets of parallel metallic beams, b, braced together in any convenient manner. When a series of struts is used, they are arranged at proper distances apart, and each strut separates two or more girders, to which they may be and are preferably secured by means of bolts and nuts or rivets. I leave between each set of struts a space, C, which permits of the expansion and contraction of the dam in its length. The side beams, b, as before stated, are preferably rigidly secured to the I-beam girders at their upper ends, and have theirlower ends resting on and anchored in pedestals, D, such pedestals being embedded the proper distance in the ground and forming a suitable resting place for the struts so that the danger of an unequal sinkingor yielding of the foundation upon which the dam `rests is minimized.. The side beams of the struts are preferably formed of I-beams, and are secured together at their upper ends by means of the longitudinal I-beams, E, and angle plates, e, said longitudinal I-beams being also riveted to the I-beam girders for the purpose of obtaining a more perfectconstruction.

As before stated, the girders with their facing may occupy any suitable angle with ref erence to the ground or a horizontal plane; and in such instances the back struts will be arranged to occupy a suitable angle to take the pressure or stress from the facing directly to the ground. The upper part of the beam is provided ,with a bracket, G, to which is nailed a suitable planking, g, which forms a Walk across the deck, and adjacent to which is arranged a ground rail, g. This walk may be used for the inspection of the dam, or as a foot bridge when desired.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as to detail, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly, any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction and arrangement, the omission of parts and substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim- 1. In a dam, the combination of metallic girders arranged parallel to each other and at an angle to a horizontal plane to support a facing, a facing consisting of sections ot' elastic metallic sheets secured to the girders, and a series of struts arranged to support the girders in their proper position and permit the expansion or contraction of thedam in its length, substantially as described.

2. In a dam, the combination of metallic girders arranged parallel to each other and at an angle to a horizontal plane to support a facing, a facing consisting of sections of curved metallic sheets secured to the girders, and a series of struts arranged to support the girders in their proper position and permit the expansion or contraction of the dam in its length, substantially as described.

3. In a dam, the combination of I-beam girders arranged parallel to each other and at an angle to a horizontal plane and forming the support for a facing, a facing consisting of sections of convex metallic sheets secured to the girders,and a series of metallic struts described.

FRANCIS H. BAINBRIDGE. Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS F. MCGREGOR. 

